Coupling assemblies are known in the art. In one instance, coupling assemblies can be used to connect, in an axially aligned orientation, the end of a drive shaft in a casing portion of a fluid pump to the end of a motor shaft in a motor portion of a fluid pump. Conventional coupling assemblies typically consist of a two-part sleeve (i.e., a split rigid coupling) which when assembled define a centrally extending bore into which end portions of the motor shaft and drive shaft are located. Screws, pins or other retaining configurations are used to physically couple each of the motor shaft and drive shaft to the sleeve, thereby mechanically connecting the drive shaft to the motor shaft.
In conventional fluid pumps, and particularly vertical in-line pumps, the drive shaft consists of a pump or impeller shaft to which is connected to a fluid impeller. The impeller is in turn rotatable within a fluid housing to pump the fluid therethrough. When servicing fluid pumps having a motor shaft and a pump shaft joined via a split rigid coupling, once the split rigid coupling is removed the impeller is free to drop down onto any protrusion (e.g., a shoulder) that may be present within the pump casing. After servicing is complete, the pump shaft and impeller must be raised vertically in order to re-couple the pump shaft to the motor shaft via the split rigid coupling. For a variety of reasons, this operation can be difficult for one person to accomplish safely and efficiently.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a coupling assembly that permits the easy and efficient servicing of fluid pumps (e.g., in-line vertical centrifugal pumps).